IUCN threat status:

Distribution

Range Description

Acrocephalus aequinoctialis is endemic to Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and Teraina (Washington) islands in the Northern Line Islands, Kiribati. It remained common on Teraina in 1980 (Gupta 2007). It formerly occurred on Tabueran (Fanning), but was apparently extirpated in 1972. It was described as 'common' on Kiritimati in 1966 (Pratt et al. 1987), but just 400 individuals were estimated there in 1972 and it was 'scarce in the vicinity of settlement' by 1980 (Sherley 2001). Surveys on Kiritimati in 2007-2011 indicate that the species is widespread and locally common on the mainland and individuals occasionally visit small motu in the lagoons (R. Pierce in litt. 2012). Distribution on Kiritimati is patchy, e.g. there are large areas in the south-east of the island where the warbler is absent due to unsuitable habitat. Densities of up to 50 birds/km2 have been reported on Kiritimati (Pierce et al. 2007).